The Duchess of Malfi

The brand new Sam Wanamaker Playhouse is starting as it means to go on with a new production of John Webster’s bloody but compelling play, offering a brilliantly macabre example of Jacobean tragedy. And there is a lot of excitement at the news that Gemma Arterton - the young actress who made her debut at the Globe and who is now hot Hollywood property - will play the leading role

The eponymous Duchess of Malfi, a rich widow who remarries in secret, is a woman doomed to a tragic end. Her marriage to the steward Antonio is a match that her brothers Ferdinand and the Cardinal take violent objection to, leading them to seek a terrible revenge. The Duchess’ fate is typical of the violence and horror that became popular in Webster’s era, offering a series of nightmarish theatrical set-pieces for subsequent directors to grapple with.

The Globe’s addition of an indoor Jacobean theatre is designed to recreate the intimate environment that would have played host to some of the greatest plays by Shakespeare and his contemporaries. The new space certainly has the potential to deliver a Duchess of Malfi like none we have ever seen, promising an intense theatrical experience. This debut production is directed by the Globe’s artistic director Dominic Dromgoole, who has led the theatre through some of its greatest successes in recent years. There’s also a link back to Shakespeare himself, as the play was first performed by his company the King’s Men not far from the site of the new theatre.

We’re looking forward to taking a trip back in time as we grab our first glimpse of this new performance space. And for renaissance history buffs, the theatre is also offering a series of events to accompany the play, in which a series of specialists will shed some additional light on the play, its context and its performance history.

Ticket price: £10 to £60

Address and Map: 21 New Globe Walk  Bankside, London SE1 9DT

Nearest Tube: Blackfriars